A Study on Deliberately Self-Poisoned In-Hospital Patients in a Tertiary Health Care Center in Northeast India: A Cross-Sectional Review.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The nature and profile of different modes of poisoning vary significantly in different parts of India. The assessment of the magnitude of suicidal poisoning is an area of paramount importance not only for appropriate management but also for raising social awareness and framing government policies for the prevention of same. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the pattern of poisoning, the sociodemographic profile of patients who poison themselves, and the in-hospital outcome of self-poisoned patients over a 1-year period. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted between May 2015 and April 2016 that included 492 patients >12 years of age who were admitted to our hospital after consuming poison with the intention of deliberate self-harm. Relevant history with respect to the nature and amount of poison ingested were taken and recorded, and the patients' sociodemographic profiles and outcome (as either discharge or death) were noted. RESULTS: Most of the patients were 13-28 years of age (69%). Males (n = 293 [59.55%]) predominated over females and the majority were farmers (n = 193 [39.23%]). Rural cases (n = 373 [75.81%]) outnumbered urban cases. The major causes of deliberate self-harm attempts were impulsive actions (n = 442 [89.84%]). Pesticides (n = 393 [79.88%]) were the most commonly consumed poison. The overall mortality rate was 12%, with paraquat (94.74%) topping the list of fatal substances. CONCLUSION: Young adults and males constitute majority of the population in this study. Agricultural poisons made up the bulk of the cases, mostly taken by rural population. Paraquat, an herbicide banned in several countries, had the highest mortality rate in this study.